1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to composite parts and in particular to a method and apparatus for obtaining information about composite parts. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for obtaining ply lay-up data for composite parts.
2. Background
Aircraft are being designed and manufactured with ever increasing percentages of composite materials. Some aircraft may have more than fifty percent of its primary structure made from composite materials. Composite materials are used in aircraft to decrease the weight of the aircraft. This decreased weight improves performance features, such as payload capacities and fuel efficiencies. Further, composite materials provide longer service life for various parts in an aircraft.
Composite materials are strong, light-weight materials, created by combining two or more dissimilar components. For example, a composite may include fibers and resins. The fibers and resins are combined and cured to form a composite material.
Further, by using composite materials, parts of an aircraft may be created in larger sections with fewer pieces, eliminating many fasteners. For example, the fuselage of an aircraft may be created in cylindrical sections with integral stringers. Another example is a stabilizer of an aircraft which may be created as a single piece incorporating spars and upper and lower skins with integral stiffeners.
When performing repairs on damaged aircraft composite parts, ply lay-up data, such as an identification of the number of plies, orientation of each ply, the location of each ply within the composite part, the ply material and the cured part thickness, is needed to replace the damaged material.
In some instances, two dimensional drawings may be present in a manual. Details of composite parts in these drawings include ply lay-up and part thickness data. This information includes an identification of each ply, the orientation of the ply, the location of the ply in the lay-up, the ply material, as well as thickness information for the part itself. This type of data is typically used to perform repairs to composite parts.